Michael has a background in product design, having previously studied Industrial and Interaction Design at Syracuse University. Prior to beginning graduate work at Cornell he worked as a product designer in corporate and consulting environments. This included five years as a footwear designer at New Balance in Boston, and five years working on a range of products including medical devices, industrial equipment, and consumer products at Brownlie Design in Skaneateles, NY.

Michael has previously taught undergraduate courses in the Syracuse Industrial Design program, including Human Factors for Designers, and Product Systems. He obtained his Masters of Art in Design degree with a concentration in Sustainable Design Studies in DEA in 2020, and is currently working on his doctoral dissertation in Human Behavior and Design. His research interests center on the psychological and behavioral factors relevant to greater sustainability in the product design and consumption process.